


Pure of Virtue, True of Heart

by katherine1753



Category: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (TV), Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Biting, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Love Confessions, M/M, Smut, attempts at seduction, blushing segundus, fairy curses, johnsquared - Freeform, segundus tries so hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:01:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25437358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katherine1753/pseuds/katherine1753
Summary: Childermass arrives at Starecross, a fairy curse on him. Segundus might be the only one with the ability to break the spell.
Relationships: John Childermass/John Segundus
Comments: 9
Kudos: 49





	Pure of Virtue, True of Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Johnsquared time! I am so enraptured with this ship. I hope I'm doing it a service.

In the five years since the disappearance of Jonathan Strange and Gilbert Norrell, John Segundus found that his life had greatly improved. He felt very badly admitting such things to himself, but he was finally happy, and he couldn’t deny that fact. He had been permitted to open his school of magic, he was invited to the Yorkshire Society’s meetings (and held in much higher regard there), he had been acquiring many books  _ on _ magic and books  _ of _ magic with the help of Mr. Childermass (who also seemed to be having an improved life, no longer being a servant, and no longer being shot or stabbed or gravely injured), and he was helping Mr. Childermass translate the King’s Book. All in all, he was living the life he had always dreamed of and aspired to have. He had magic. He had his school. He had a solid place to live and gainful employment. He had friends. Weekends were spent with the Honeyfoots and evenings were spent with the other teachers or Mr. Childermass. Even Vinculus could be considered a friend of a sort. 

John Segundus could often be found in his library at Starecross, sitting in a large and worn armchair with a thick blanket, curled up with a book, in front of a crackling fire. That’s where he was currently, reading a book on magic, sipping a warm cup of tea with honey, snuggled down into his blanket. It was late, very much too late to be awake, but he couldn’t sleep and thought if he was awake he may as well get some reading done. He would be pressed to admit that this did happen most nights, but it was so very hard to sleep when there was so much magic to learn. And so foregoing sleep, he was content in his chair with his tea and his book and his blanket. 

A small tapping sound drew his attention away from his page, barely holding his focus at first: he was deep in his thoughts after all, but it was just enough to rouse him from the book. Frowning, he glanced around, trying to locate it. It was just a gentle tapping, but he knew the creaks and groans of Starecross well and this was not a regular sound. He sighed as he relinquished the warm blanket to stand up and continue his search. The mirror on the fireplace mantel was tapping. He leaned close to it, trying to see what lay beyond, mind going back to a few years ago with Jonathan Strange and the ravens. In the corner of the mirror, behind him in the shadows, he saw movement. A whirling mass of shadowy black, a swirl of feathers. He suddenly felt a whoosh of cold, like a draft from one of the windows that were most definitely not open. With a gasp, John turned around and saw that the mysterious shifting shadows were suddenly in the room with him instead of just in the mirror. A very undignified squeak escaped his mouth. He frantically glanced around for something to help, to defend himself with, maybe to call someone, but Mr. Honeyfoot had gone to stay with one of his daughters for a few weeks and taken his walnut rifle with him, and the students and servants were all on a break. He was utterly alone, and the only thing he had was a candlestick. He grabbed it anyway. 

The mass began to take a human form there in the corner. Long dark hair almost indistinguishable from the shadowy void, with pale, scarred skin. A few shining black feathers fell to the ground around them. “Segundus,” the figure rasped weakly, and collapsed on the floor. He almost dropped the candle, managed to set it back onto the table, and rushed over to John Childermass, who was sprawled on the ground in a faint. 

“Oh! Mr. Childermass!” Segundus touched his shoulder, hand coming away with dirt and soot and blood. Childermass did not move, but Segundus felt weak breaths against his hand when he checked his airways. His pulse was constant, and that settled Segundus’s frantic heart a little bit. 

With considerable effort, he managed to hoist Childermass onto the couch in front of the fire. His struggles would have probably been rather embarrassing had Childermass been awake, and though John could have definitely used the help, he was a little thankful no one saw him half-carrying-half-dragging Childermass along. He didn’t drop him, at least. He carefully removed the heavy and stained greatcoat and dirty cravat, draping them into his previously occupied armchair and tucked the still-warm blanket around him. With a glance to make sure Childermass didn’t look like he would die or fall off of the couch in a brief absence, Segundus rushed to the kitchen for a basin of water and some cloths. He did not want to disturb Childermass too much, but he carefully wiped the grime from his hands and face and neck, blushing a little as the loose shirt revealed his collarbones. Thankfully, most of the wounds that Segundus could see were just little scratches. He worried that Childermass was wounded elsewhere, but all of the bloodstains seemed to be on the outside of his coat.

And now he figured he would wait. His hands twitched, feeling like they needed to be doing something. He was fretting, he knew he was fretting. But he could not help it. Childermass had become one of his dearest friends, and here they were, alone, with Segundus having no idea what had happened or how to help. He was too worried to focus back on his book, so he decided to keep watch. Perhaps when Childermass awoke, he could find some way to help him more. 

A cough startled him an hour or two later from where he had been staring at Childermass’s dark eyelashes, which slowly blinked open. He sat up with a groan and took the glass of water that Segundus had ready to hand to him, draining it in three gulps. He looked like he had gone through hell and back, dark circles under his eyes even darker than normal, hair in complete disarray, wincing at every movement he made. 

“Are you alright? Where have you been? What happened? Are you hurt?” Segundus asked in rapid succession, not giving him a chance to answer between his questions. 

Childermass sighed, glancing over at him before staring back at the glass cupped in his hands. “I was on the Roads…” he said reluctantly, as if he didn’t want to answer. 

“Alone?!” John gasped. “Mr. Childermass, you know more than anyone how dangerous that is. And-”

“I  _ know,”  _ Childermass interrupted, cutting his worried arguing off. “I know. I thought I had an idea on how to find them. Strange and Norrell. It didn’t work, before you ask. But anyway. I was on my way out, and a fairy found me. One I’ve never seen before. He…” Childermass sighed again. Segundus thought he sounded both exhausted and frustrated. “He seemed to have taken a fascination with dark legends and human gothic stories. He thought it would be amusing to use that as inspiration for his curse. Said I looked like something from a book, might as well be one, or something like that.”

Segundus was frantic. They hadn’t had many dealings with fairies since everything with Emma Pole and Stephen Black, and his research had not gotten very far along yet either. “Oh Mr. Childermass! You have been cursed? What is it? What are the terms? It was good of you to come here, maybe I have a book on magic we can do to fix it!” He was halfway through a motion of a rushed step towards the bookshelves before he realized he didn’t know what he was looking for yet. 

“I appreciate the concern, but there’s nothing magic can do. I came here because...well, anyway. It’s not too terrible of a curse. I can manage.” There was something in his tone that Segundus did not like. 

“But what is it?” he asked again, desperate to help. 

Childermass just stared at him for a moment, and Segundus felt his dark eyes boring into his soul. “They’ve turned me into a monster, with a thirst for human blood. But if I do not partake, I feel pain. Hunger. It is…somewhat bearable for now. The only way to break the curse is to find someone they said to be pure of virtue and true of heart, and claim them. Otherwise it will eventually kill me.”

“Claim them?” Segundus tilted his head. “As in...just laying claim to them? Just saying ‘I, John Childermass, do claim thee-’”

“No,” Childermass gritted his teeth, looking away. He waited, as if trying to make Segundus come to the conclusion on his own. And while that did sometimes work, John was tired and worried and not wanting to jump to anything without more explanation. “I must claim them... _ carnally,”  _ his voice was rough with embarrassment and frustration, his arms crossed over his chest, and Segundus wanted to rest a reassuring hand on his shoulder but he didn’t want to invade the small space Childermass had made for himself. 

“Oh,” Segundus flushed. “And...and by ‘pure of virtue, and true of heart’ I am assuming…?”

“It  _ means _ ,” Childermass sighed again, glancing once at Segundus before back at whatever he was staring at that most definitely was not a real object in the room, still frustrated he had to do any explaining at all. “I must find a virgin who will fall in love with me, and bite them to mark them and taste their blood when we fuck. To put it bluntly,” there was a tone his voice Segundus had never heard before, almost like he thought Childermass was about to laugh if he did not know any better. “Otherwise I will die, either from starvation or I will succumb to the pain. Whatever first,” he finished quietly. 

Segundus felt his face heat up even more. “Ah,” was all he managed to say. So that was why Mr. Childermass was really here. Segundus could break the curse and fix this. But how could he have known? Then again, Childermass did always have a way of knowing things he should not. 

“So you see why it will not happen,” Childermass continued. “I’m guessing I maybe have a week or so. It’s not as if one will fall in love with someone like me, especially so fast. And if they did, then I would not wish to hurt them.”

Segundus frowned. “But-”

“I should be getting to bed,” Childermass stood up suddenly, swaying a little on his feet. “I am... I find myself wanting to be alone right now. I’m sorry. Goodnight Mr. Segundus, and thank you.”

“Oh…” Segundus frowned more, still confused and still pink. “Goodnight then?”

This was certainly a conundrum. 

Segundus finally managed to fall asleep much later, and it was a short and fitful sleep filled with dreams both good and bad. Some were nightmares of Childermass being cursed and tortured by fairies, and some were dreams, well, of a more delicate nature, that caused him to wake up with a stiffness beneath his nightshirt. 

He sighed as he sat up in bed, willing his lower half to cooperate. Thinking back on the night before, perhaps he was too hasty in thinking things would happen immediately. Poor Mr. Childermass had just been through the whole ordeal and he would have been way too exhausted anyway. He had seemed so very sad about it all. Maybe Childermass needed some encouragement, maybe he was shy about things like this. Segundus certainly was, especially since he was completely lacking in experience, but even though Childermass had come here for that reason, maybe he wanted Segundus to make the first move. Perhaps, since Segundus was the one ‘pure of virtue and true of heart,’ then he had to initiate the curse-breaking. 

John smiled to himself. He could be brave for this. He’d read plenty of books after all, a nice little hidden stash of romance novels under his bed, and now he could finally test out the knowledge he’d only ever used in dreams and imaginings. He dressed himself in one of his better shirts, with a waistcoat that he knew brought out his eyes. Or at least that was what Mrs. Honeyfoot had told him. 

He made his way down to the kitchens and was happy to see that he arrived first. He wanted to make Childermass a nice breakfast, surely that would show some sort of interest. Unfortunately, with everyone gone, Segundus had been making do with plainer and more boring meals. Rummaging around the pantries, he finally was able to pull together a decent breakfast of rolls and cheeses, with a steaming pot of fresh tea. He had just finished setting everything on the table, and wondering if he should fetch some fresh flowers from the gardens, when Childermass stumbled into the kitchen. Or limped, more like. It seemed just as bad as the night before. All the more reason to break the curse as soon as possible. 

“Good morning,” Segundus smiled brightly at him.

Childermass nodded in response, staring at him. Segundus felt his cheeks heating up. Maybe it was working, and with something so simple as a smile! How wonderful!

“You are...smiling a lot,” Childermass commented. 

Segundus felt it falter a bit, maybe not so simple after all, but he continued on. This was important! “Is it wrong to enjoy company?”

“Ah. Right. Everyone has been gone. You must have been lonely, even if it is just me to talk to,” Childermass sat heavily at the table in his usual chair. 

“I’ve been ever so lonely,” Segundus tried to sigh breathily. That was what they did in romance novels, was it not? “I find I quite enjoy your company, Mr. Childermass.”

“...alright,” Childermass continued to stare at him as if he were some indecipherable text. Maybe this wasn’t working. Maybe a romance-novel route was not the right way to go. He’d have to try harder. 

“I, um…” He was thrown off, having not have planned much further than breakfast. “I made breakfast. It’s not much, but, well,” Segundus gestured at the table. 

Childermass paused. “I cannot eat. The curse...” 

“Oh! Oh no, I’m sorry, I didn’t think! I wanted to... I’m sorry, I-” Segundus flushed, embarrassed. He tried to clear the table but Childermass stopped him. 

“You needn’t apologize. I will have some tea, thank you,” Childermass took the cup by his empty plate and poured himself some tea, also topping off Segudus’s mug. “Please, eat,” he prompted Segundus. 

John sat across from him and picked a bit at roll. Maybe this would be  _ a lot _ harder than he thought. He’d certainly made a fool of himself already, he’d have to put in more effort. In their comfortable silence, he continued to think on plans. 

Mid-morning found the pair of them back in the library, Segundus having some books to work through before the students returned, and Childermass paging through some phrases he’d copied off of Vinculus’s left arm before leaving him with one of his more responsible wives and a few translators before Childermass went to traverse the roads. 

Segundus’s thoughts kept drifting from his work to different ways to impress Childermass or woo him. His first thought was chocolates, but then he frowned when he remembered he couldn’t eat. Maybe a gift of a book? He and Childermass shared a great love of books. But Childermass kept all of his books at Starecross already, and there was no way he’d be able to find a book Childermass hadn’t already seen. Perhaps gifts weren’t the right way to go. What else did men do while courting? He racked his brain for answers, but without any experience he struggled to think of anything.

Every once in a while he’d hear Childermass sigh or see his face twinge in pain. His heart ached, he could fix this whole thing and poor Mr. Childermass was suffering in the meantime until he could prove himself. If anything, it made him more determined. He  _ must  _ find some way to resolve this.

The next day, he skipped making breakfast, but found himself wandering around the gardens in search of the perfect flower. Men often gave flowers to the woman they were attempting to woo, surely that would show his intent. It had to be the right flower though, something obvious in meaning and beautiful. Most of Starecross’s gardens had plants good for spellwork, but not much in the way of beauty. Finally, he came across a rosebush that had been there longer than he’d been inhabiting the school. A red rose would be perfect, it was the most romantic flower Segundus could think of! He picked one carefully with a nice stem so that it would sit prettily in a vase. This would be perfect.

“Mr. Segundus?” He jumped and turned around, startled. Mr. Childermass was standing behind him, looking confused. “What spell is that for?”

“Oh,” John felt his cheeks starting to heat up. He hadn’t planned what he was going to say when he gave him the rose yet. He’d had a few phrases in the works, but perhaps he should have written them down. “It’s...it’s for you,” he held it out. 

Childermass stared at him and the rose for a moment, and Segundus was sure he’d messed up again, but then Childermass reached out and took it, fingertips just barely brushing against Segundus’s in the process. He felt his heart flutter as their eyes met briefly, before Childermass’s gaze returned to the rose. 

“Thank you?” he said hesitantly, more of a question than a statement. “Ah,” he opened his hand, transferring the rose to his other side. One of his fingers was bleeding where a thorn had pricked him. 

“Oh! I’m sorry!” Segundus said, dismayed. He was terrible at this, so very terrible. “Here, let me-” 

“It is fine,” Childermass interrupted. 

“No, it is no trouble at all, let me help, I’m sorry,” Segundus pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket, holding Childermass’s hand (so warm, so nice, he’d like to hold it forever) between his own, and carefully wrapped his finger. 

“...thank you,” Childermass mumbled. 

Childermass continued to work on Vinculus’s arm copies throughout the afternoon, and Segundus tried to avoid him as best he could. He was making an utter fool of himself, and he needed to get it together, especially since he didn’t want to cause Childermass any more pain than he already had. 

That night, Segundus spent hours thinking about the feel of Childermass’s hand in his own, and more about what he could do to convince him to break the curse. Perhaps giving gifts wasn’t the way to go, perhaps he had to be more like a bird and present  _ himself.  _ He had already worn his best waistcoat, but there were other things he could do to look worthy. 

He fell asleep happily thinking of plans and ideas, that unfortunately also didn’t work, even in his dreams. He woke up the next morning just as unsure and frustrated. 

He wore a new cologne that had been a gift; he’d never worn it before, but maybe Mr. Childermass would like it. It ended up causing a sneezing fit so fierce that Mr. Childermass had to leave the room, his limp still getting worse. 

He tried to comb his hair in an attractive way, fluffing it a little, but Childermass didn’t seem to notice at all. 

Segundus sighed. This slow and delicate courting was not working. He’d have to try something more drastic. 

At supper that night they discussed some new ideas for Vinculus’s translations. There was a small section that looked like it might be translatable into Welsh and then from there into English. “...and that, Mr. Segundus, is why I left Vinculus temporarily with his wife and some of the best Welsh magicians,” Childermass finished explaining. 

“You can call me John, you know,” Segundus tried to smile flirtatiously, leaning towards him a little. He felt a bit like a fool, but it finally got a reaction. 

Childermass blinked at him. “...Alright. John.”

Hearing his name in that deep gravelly voice caused a new round of blushing all over again. Surely Childermass noticed? But still, he didn’t say anything.

They retired to the library for the rest of the evening, the couch comfortable for Childermass’s aching limbs, and the time spent quietly reading in each other’s company pleasant. 

Segundus glanced up at Childermass and stretched his arms, trying to use the movement to draw his attention. When Childermass’s eyes flickered up, he untied his cravat. “It’s warm in here isn’t it?”

Childermass blinked at him. “Not particularly, but temperatures never really bother me. Would you like me to open a window?”

“Oh, no, this is fine,” Segundus unbuttoned the top of his shirt a little, letting it fall open to his collarbones. He felt so scandalous. He’d never done something like this before.

Childermass was staring at him. Hard. Maybe it was finally working. He felt himself turning pink under the scrutiny, but Childermass looked back at his book.

Segundus sighed quietly to himself. And again. And a little bit louder once more as he tilted his neck in what he hoped was an enticing manner. 

Childermass finally looked up at him. “Are you alright, Mr. Segundus?”

“Oh. Yes. Quite alright.” Segundus looked away. He was embarrassed, but alright. Maybe he had been wrong, or maybe he was going about this the wrong way. Because surely Mr. Childermass had his reasons for coming here?

Or maybe he had been right the whole time, that Childermass did need him to break the curse, and he  _ knew  _ Segundus was a virgin and he  _ knew  _ Segundus was in love with him but the problem was that Childermass didn’t love him back and he would rather die than have sex with him. Oh how foolish he’d been. Segundus felt mortified. He’d assumed so much, and Childermass didn’t want him at all, and Childermass was spending all this time trying to convince himself to do something he clearly didn’t want to do to save his own life. Maybe Mr. Childermass didn’t even feel this way towards men at all, it was forbidden of course, and it would be even harder to make himself act on it, or maybe he was in love with Mr. Norrell and that was why he had been trying to get them back in the first place, or maybe-

“Mr Segundus. Are you crying?” Childermass interrupted his quickly spiraling train of thought. 

He realized there were tears falling from his eyes. So many, in fact, that his cheeks were wet and they were dripping into his opened shirt. “I’m...I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I’m not who you want,” he sobbed. 

“What,” Childermass said blankly. 

“You’ve been holding back for so long and I thought maybe you were shy or-or I wasn’t trying hard enough, but I understand why you don’t want my blood now,” Segundus sniffled, words coming in small bursts as he tried to catch his breath between tears. 

“...Mr. Segundus.  _ John, _ ” Childermass said gently, but definitely confused and a little exasperated. His careful comforting just made Segundus cry even more. “I do not wish to drink your blood, or anyone’s blood. I could accidentally kill you. I don’t want to hurt you. It would only help briefly anyway, it will not stop this. Do not blame yourself, it is done.”

How could Childermass give up on his life so easily? Especially when there was so much to live for now that magic was back in England. “I still want to help you even if you don’t return my feelings,” he cried. “You are one of my dearest friends and I would do anything for you. It only has to be one sided, the way the fairy set the curse. We can shut all the curtains and blow out all of the candles so it’s dark and you won’t have to see me if that helps. I know something about me must be so detestable to you, but so much so that you die? I cannot be the reason that you die, Mr. Childermass! Not when I can so easily help!” 

“What on earth are you talking about?” Childermass frowned at him. He handed Segundus his handkerchief back. A tiny part of Segundus realized that he’d kept it this whole time. That tiny part screamed at him to remember it, but he was too upset. 

“The curse!” he wailed. “Why do you not wish to break it? I know you came here to have it broken but it’s been days, sir, so something about me must be wrong, and so entirely unpleasant for you, and I am sorry, but for the sake of your life you could try, please try, I cannot lose you.”

“John...I truly don’t understand what you’re talking about, or what’s gotten you so worked up. Drinking blood will only sustain me for a few hours. It will not break the curse.” Childermass said patiently, resigned to his fate. 

“What?” Segundus paused, confused, voice thick with tears. “No, I can break the curse,” he explained. Had he not explained enough already?

“How... _ you  _ can break the curse?” Childermass asked. 

Segundus looked up miserably. “Is that not why you came here? Please don’t embarrass me, I know it’s improper and I know I may seem pathetic, but…” he sighed. He didn’t know what else to say. 

Childermass gaped at him. “I came here because it is safe and I did not wish to be alone when I died.”

Segundus sobbed again, it wasn’t a word. This was really starting to become too much for him. “I thought...I thought you figured out that I loved you. And there’s never been anyone else. So I could break the curse. I thought that’s why you came here. But you didn’t...you didn’t do anything. So I thought you were shy or...or reluctant. But I  _ tried _ , and-and  _ nothing, _ and so it must be something about me that was wrong. But now you’re saying you didn’t know? At all?”

“...oh,” Childermass said quietly. Stunned. 

“Oh,” Segundus echoed bitterly. They stared at each other for a long time.

“Is...is that what you’ve been trying to do this whole time?” Childermass asked finally. “You’ve been trying to seduce me?”

“Well it obviously wasn’t working!” John snapped, his sniffling lessening his venom that he never had much of to begin with.

Childermass took a breath, steeling himself. “You needn’t...you didn’t need to try so hard.”

Segundus made a noise that clearly wasn’t words again. He didn’t know what to say anymore. This was all too much. He wasn’t even the one who was cursed. 

Childermass sighed, like it was a great burden for him to speak. “It’s...I didn’t…” he sighed again, frustrated. “I have. Also. had feelings.”

“You say it like it pains you so,” Segundus mumbled. 

“I’ve never admitted such things before,” Childermass replied. “...I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t hurt me!” Segundus argued. “I decided long ago that I want this. And you say you want this. And it will save you. So what’s stopping you?”

Childermass approached him slowly, like he was a bucking horse or a wild animal. He supposed maybe he was with his awful and embarrassing sobbing. He stared at him in a way Segundus had never seen, like he was trying to read his very soul and not entirely sure if he could believe what he was seeing there.

“You are sure?” Childermass asked carefully. 

“Have I not made myself clear?” Segundus tried to sound angry again but he was so tired, and his voice just came out sad and soft. 

Childermass’s hand gently cupped his cheek; Segundus’s eyes fluttered shut as his breathing quickened. All from one single touch. 

“You deserve better,” Childermass whispered. 

“I want you,” Segundus replied. 

He tilted Segundus’s face ever so slightly up, just towards him, and brushed the smallest of kisses against his lips. John gasped softly before leaning forward to kiss Childermass again and again, putting more pressure behind each kiss. It was more than he could have dreamed.

When he finally pulled back, he saw the smallest of smiles beginning to form on Childermass’s lips and hope starting to light in his eyes, and it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. 

“Will you…” Segundus paused, trying to be brave again. “Will you come to bed?”

“ _ Yes _ ,” Childermass held out a hand to help Segundus to his feet. John kept a hold of it after he stood, a giddy feeling rising in his chest as he led Childermass up to his room. Segundus smiled at him bashfully as he shut the door behind them, finally dropping Childermass’s hand to move to extinguish the candles. 

“No,” Childermass put a hand on his arm, stopping him. John turned back to him. “I would...I wish to see you,” he mumbled. 

“Oh,” Segundus felt his cheeks growing impossibly pinker. 

“You’re still sure?” Childermass asked.

Segundus kissed him again in answer, feeling bold. 

Childermass sighed again as he pulled back. “You still deserve better,” he said. Better than this, better than me, all unspoken yet Segundus knew what he was trying to say. 

“Perhaps next time will be better?” Segundus asked, pretending he didn’t know what Childermass was implying. And he had to know if this would happen again. His shaking hands came to rest on Childermass’s hips. “Since surely I will not have spent so much time crying beforehand and you will no longer be cursed.”

The soft smile on Childermass’s face was worth everything. “Next time,” he promised, arms encircling Segundus and pulling him close. “Next time I will make it worth it. As many next times as you wish, for as long as you will have me.”

“Then I am rather sure you’ll be stuck with me for quite some time,” Segundus smiled again, leaning up to press his lips against Childermass’s once more. Their arms tightened around each other, trying to get as close as possible. Segundus felt one hand slide into his hair and let out a little gasp at the sensation. 

As closely as they were wrapped up in each other, John still was able to work a hand in between their bodies to start on the buttons of Childermass’s dark waistcoat. He was clumsy with just one hand, but he was loath to let his other one fall away from where it was caressing a strong and scruffy jawline. Childermass pulled back just enough to join Segundus’s hand with his own, quickly stripping each other down to just shirtsleeves and breeches. And then Segundus’s hands could focus no more on their task, as Childermass kissed him so thoroughly he forgot everything but the glorious pressure of those lips on his own. 

John swayed a little on his feet when his lips were finally released, breathing coming in a rush as he took stock of the situation. He was harder than he could remember ever being in his life, and an answering hardness was pressed up against his own. Childermass’s eyes had darkened, and his teeth looked a little sharper as he bit his lip under Segundus’s stare. 

Childermass slowly reached down with one hand, pressing gently against Segundus’s cock. He swallowed his moan with another kiss. It was so much, almost too much. “Bed?” Segundus managed to say, unable to form much more than a single word. 

“Bed,” Childermass confirmed, stepping back to catch his own breath.

They finished undressing themselves, clothing dropped wherever it fell, and suddenly they were naked before each other. Segundus was thankful for the sense of urgency to be a little broken, for now they were able to breathe, able to steal glances at each other undressing, able to  _ look. _ And look Childermass did. Segundus felt his hands twitch a little as he flushed all over, a part of him wanting to cover himself for some modesty, but the rest of him managing to keep his hands at his sides as his fingers flexed. 

Childermass took two steps towards the bed, pulling back the bedclothes and holding them open for Segundus to crawl into, before quickly joining him in the warmth there. Their touches were slower, a little more reverent, but still entirely unable to keep their hands off of each other. Segundus kissed him again, he didn’t think he’d ever get his fill of Childermass's kisses. And before long, their bodies were pressed fully against each other.

“John,” Childermass sounded like he wanted to say something, but Segundus was distracted by the fact that he could now touch every inch of Childermass’s skin (and he ached to), and all he could manage was a questioning noise in return. 

It was a moment before Childermass continued, clearly also distracted by Segundus’s touches, which pleased him greatly. “You’ll let me know if I hurt you? Besides...Besides the bite I mean, I know that will be, well, unpleasant. I-”

“Hmmmm yes, you won’t, it’s fine,” Segundus wasn’t sure if he was making sense but he found he did not care, as long as this didn’t stop.

“I’m sorry this will not be what you deserve for a first time, what I...what I want it to be for you. For us. It won’t be as gentle…” Childermass mumbled, looking away. 

“John,” Segundus tilted his face back towards him, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. “Next time you can show me just how gentle you can be. Besides, I don’t think I can wait much longer.” 

“You are a marvel, Mr. Segundus,” Childermass breathed. 

“As are you, John Childermass,” Segundus kissed him again, putting as much intent as he could into it. 

Their hands resumed their roaming, touching new places to a chorus of gasps and moans muffled by kisses. 

“Do you have anything? Oil?” Childermass asked, hands gripping at the swell of Segundus’s buttocks, fingers just ghosting along the crease. 

Segundus pulled away enough to reach into a small drawer in his night table, pulling out a little jar. “I...well…” he was embarrassed, not sure of what to say. 

Childermass reached out and placed a hand over Segundus’s own. “Let me?”

With slick fingers, he pressed one into Segundus, slowly, carefully, watching his face for any signs of discomfort and kissing him through it when Segundus turned his head to capture his lips again. One finger soon became two, and eventually three, and Segundus was overwhelmed with sensation, it was so much, it was so good, it was everything. He never wanted this to end, but he knew he wouldn’t last much longer. 

“John, please,” he managed to say, clinging to him. “Please.”

“Fuck,” Childermass pulled back just enough to slick his cock, and then he was pressing into him, and it was more than Segundus could have ever dared to hope or dream. One hand buried itself in Childermass’s hair and the other gripped his shoulder tightly as Childermass thrust into him, again and again, slowly at first but building up in speed as they lost themselves in the sensations. 

Childermass tucked his face into Segundus’s neck, breathing him in. He felt Childermass’s teeth brush against the juncture of his neck and shoulder, gently at first, then again with a little more pressure. 

“Please,” Segundus gasped again. 

He felt his teeth just break the skin, just enough to leave a mark. He cried out, it was so  _ good.  _ And he felt the magic of the curse being undone swirling around them, adding to the symphony of feelings, Childermass pulsing within him, and himself spilling over the edge, and overwhelming emotion, and everything went black. 

When Segundus finally came back to himself, the first thing he noticed was Childermass pressing gentle kisses to his bite between whispered words of healing magic. 

“Oh,” he murmured, voice still soft and raspy from earlier. 

Childermass smiled up at him, his teeth back to their normal selves. “Are you alright, love?”

Segundus’s heart fluttered in his chest as a new blush settled onto his cheeks. “Yes,” he smiled bashfully down at the sheets. “More than alright.”

Childermass pulled him closer, wrapping around him, and kissed the back of his neck. Segundus felt comfortable and safe and warm, and he never wanted to move ever again. 

“You saved my life, John,” Childermass’s breath tickled the hair at the nape of his neck. “I believe I owe you a great debt.” There was a seriousness to his tone, but a little hint of something playful there. 

Segundus smiled to himself. “I can think of a few ways you could repay me.”

“Oh?” he felt Childermass’s smirk against his skin. 

“Hmmm. I think I would quite like to see how gentle you can be, like we discussed, but now that I’m thinking about it I would also like the opposite.”

“ _ John. _ ”

Segundus was feeling giddy and bold. He’d broken a fairy curse and had sex with Childermass. He was in love. He felt invincible. He rolled over and kissed the tip of Childermass’s nose, trying to hold back a laugh at the bewildered look on his face and giving up entirely when he was kissed all over his face in return. 

“Is that to your liking?” Segundus teased. 

“I will take you apart,” Childermass said, a promising look in his dark eyes that made Segundus shiver in anticipation.

“Oh," he breathed. "Please do.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! I'm on tumblr at katherine1753 :)


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